Standing on a chair to talk into the microphone 9-year-old Esteban Fabela-Ramirez pleaded with Clear Creek Independent School District's boundary advisory committee Jan. 18 to reconsider an elementary school rezoning plan that would put him in another school.

"I don't want to leave my friends. I don't want to leave my teachers. I don't want to leave anything," concluded Esteban, a third-grader at Weber elementary, who under the proposed changes would be rezoned to North Pointe elementary.

The district is seeking public input about the plan put forward by the 25-member advisory committee charged with exploring options to reduce crowding at some campuses and populate underutilized ones.

The committee came up with a proposal to change the boundaries of Bauerschlag, Goforth, McWhirter, Mossman, North Pointe, Ward and Weber, also impacting Parr, Ferguson, League City, Hyde and Brookwood, to take effect in the 2012-13 school year.

The boundary issue is expected to come before the board of trustees on Feb. 27.

Opponents organize

Two groups of speakers emerged at the meeting. A large group of Mossman parents opposed the proposed rezoning to Hyde, while the smaller Weber group opposed rezoning to North Pointe.

Mossman parents, many sporting dark green T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan "Keep the Lakes U-Knight-ed," referring to Lakes of Southshore where they live and Mossman's "Knights" mascot, want to remain at Mossman, because they don't want the community to be split up.

Chris Rahe recently moved to the district from Pasadena for the schools and said he was disappointed and felt mislead by the district and the home developer.

"I want to make sure my kids stay here at one school," said Rahe, who has two girls at Mossman. "It's not fair to my kids."

Some Mossman parents complained their children had been in three schools in four years because of rezoning and asked the district to spare them another move.

Neely said she backed an alternate plan put forward by Mossman parents who would be affected by the committee's proposal.

Leading the charge with the alternate plan, Robert Schuler questioned the district's demographic data and decried splitting off 300 or so homes in the south part of the larger South Shore Harbor community.

"When you look at the issue, you see much more than geographical distance, it's about the community staying together," he said later.

Lone supporter

Mossman parent Janet Henderson was the lone speaker supporting the committee's plan. Her daughter had to change schools three times due to rezoning, but she said all three - Goforth, Hyde and Mossman - are great. Though she won't be affected by the current rezoning proposal, she said it makes sense, because Mossman is crowded, and other nearby schools like Hyde have space.

The committee's proposal for Mossman involves moving a portion of South Shore Lakes along South Shore Boulevard between Tucker Road and Austin from Mossman to Hyde. Haven at South Shore Apartments would move from Mossman to Goforth.

Proposed changes for Weber involve moving Clear Brook Landing and Meadows of Clear Brook subdivisions, as well as undeveloped property and Silver Acres, to North Pointe.

Committee chair Charlie Wilson said they will review the input from the public, look at the alternate plan and come up with a recommendation for another public hearing.